Correction: New Mexico School Shooting-Autopsy story

February 21, 2018

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — In stories Feb. 7 and Feb. 20 about a New Mexico school shooting, the Associated Press reported erroneously the name of a captain for the San Juan County Sheriff’s office. He is Brice Current, not Bryce Current.

A corrected version of the Feb. 20 story is below:

New Mexico school shooter had swastika marking on his leg

An autopsy revealed that the gunman in a deadly New Mexico school shooting had faint ink markings on his leg that included a swastika symbol

By SUSAN MONTOYA BRYAN

Associated Press

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A gunman in a deadly New Mexico school shooting had no drugs or alcohol in his system the day of the December rampage and an autopsy revealed a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, bruised knuckles and faint ink markings on his leg that included a swastika symbol.

Despite the markings, authorities reiterated Tuesday that there was no indication white supremacist views influenced former student William Atchison in the attack because the victims weren’t specifically targeted. Notes left behind by the 21-year-old gunman detailed plans to “gear up” after making his way onto campus and then shoot up a classroom before killing himself, they said.

Atchison killed two students — Francisco I. Fernandez and Casey J. Marquez — at small-town Aztec High School before firing randomly in a hallway and a computer lab, where a substitute teacher and students hid. He then killed himself.

Autopsy and toxicology results were released Monday in response to a public records request. The autopsy report details a gunshot wound that went through Atchison’s mouth and out the back of his head.

Brice Current, internal affairs captain for the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office, said the agency is investigating and has yet to review the autopsy findings.

Current said Atchison was shooting randomly and through walls and it’s believed his intent was on “destroying people” regardless of their race.

“With his manifesto and what the facts showed was that he simply hated everybody, everything, hated the town he lived in, hated life,” Current said.

Authorities found a thumb drive on Atchison’s body after the shooting. In one file, he wrote: “Work sucks, school sucks, life sucks. I just want out of this (expletive).”

Shortly after school started Dec. 7, Atchison was gearing up for the attack in a bathroom when Fernandez walked in. The gunman killed him, then went into the hallway, ran into Marquez and killed her, authorities said.

Atchison then walked up and down the hall, firing randomly, before killing himself, authorities said.

Both victims were described by family and classmates as having bright futures.

The autopsy says the faint ink markings on Atchison’s skin included the letters “SS” and “AMOG” on his upper left thigh along with the swastika symbol. A marking that appears as “BUILD WALL” was above a knee and “your home” was on his groin.

The shooter did not have a criminal record, officials said. The only contact with law enforcement was what they described as a generic message on an online gaming forum in 2016 in which he talked about what weapons might be used in a mass shooting.

The posting was flagged, and the FBI talked with Atchison at his home in Aztec, where he lived with his parents. At the time, he did not own any weapons other than an airsoft pellet gun. He said he had no plans for an attack and just liked to troll sites online.